Lip-guard for drinking vessels



T. J. MOONEY. LIP GUARD FOR DRINKING VESSELSL APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 2. I920.

Patented Feb. 22, 1921.

.gvwentoz fizwrms (f/[away 351 flbtomw THOMAS J. MOONEY, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

' LIP-GUARD FOR DRINKING VESSELS.'

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 2, 1920. Serial No. 407,626.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAsJ. MooNnY, a citizen of the United States, residln in Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and tateof' New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inLip-Guards for Drinking Vessels, of which the following is a specification. I

This invention has as its principal object to provide a sanitary device adapted to engage over the rim of a glass or other dr nking vessel, such as are used in public places, whereby the lips are prevented from making contact with the edge of the vessel, thus avoiding the possibledanger of'germ transmission and tending to cleanliness.

Another object is to provide means where-. by the user may be reasonably assured that.

the device has not been previously used. A further object is to provlde such dev1ces in forms which may readily bear inscrlptions, as advertisements, which due to the nature of the device, Wlll be unfailingly read.

These and convenience of application, cheapness of construction and adaptability in close packing for shipment and storage, are attained by'the novel construction and arrangement of parts, hereinafter described and shown in the accompanying drawings, forminga material part of this disclosure, and 1n which:

Figure 1 is -a perspective view showing a conventional type of drinking glass and illustrating the application of one form of the invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view taken through the center of one form of guard prior to use.

Fig. 3' is a front elevational new of another form of guard.

Fig. 4 is. a longitudinal sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

{Fig '5 is a perspective View showing'the application of a guard having an extended perforated mouth piece.

Referring to the drawings in detall the numeral 10 designates a common tumbler or drinking glass such as is us (1 in dispensing beverages and which, w ile appearing clean, due to its brlghtness and transparency, may be contaminated and transmit disease to the innocent user.

However this may be, no self-respecting person likes to drink from a glass used inother like objects, including.

discrim'inately by others, and as the rim or edge is the only part of the glass with which the lips make contact, this is protected by the invention, rendering the act of drinking innocuous.

The invention is made from a single sheet of thin flexible material, preferably paper, plain or rendered non-absorbent by treating with wax, parafiin or the like, although thin metallic foil may be used with equally good results.

The blank is formed to present an apronlike exterior portion 15 adapted to rest over the side of a glass and extend downward from its edge sufficiently to be held in place by the finger of the user in holding the glass to drink from in the usual manner.

This apron may be made to represent a shield or any other ornamental form as preferred and is. creased at its upper edge forming abending line which is the demarcation of an integral bib or tab 16 of triangular shape, its apex 17 being inserted in a short, central transverse slit 18 formed'in the apron '15 prior to its use.

In constructing the guard the blank is stamped from the sheet, at which time the Patented Feb. 22, 1921.

which the guard may be pressed to present Y a desirable curvature and to hold the bib and Its point tightly against the apron, on opposite sides as shown.

Removal of the point 17 from the slit in clicates that the guard has been used, as obviously the point must be withdrawn in oi'der to seat the guard upon the rim of the g ass.

In the modification shown in Figs. 3 and 4 the apron 20 is provided with a shorter bib 21 straight at its outer edge except for two triangular projections 22 which are passed through corresponding slits 23 forming a double. holding means and is considered the more preferable form of the plain guard, the construction being essentially as before described.-

It is to be noted that in practice, due to the shape of the interior or bib elements, its

inner position is caused to lie closely against the interior of the glass so that any liquid In Fig. [5 a more comprehensive type of guard is shown, the same consisting of an apron 30 having an out-tunned iedge or therein flows freely over the guard as it is -dispensed.-

turned reentrantly and-adapted to receive a flange-like element 33 provided with perforations 34, which act as a strainer for seeds, grounds or sediment poured from the vessel and which enter the raised central portion 35 of the bib 36.

This bib, like that shown in Fig. 3 is provided with triangular points 37 near its side edges adapted 'to be originally inserted in the slits 38 of the apron 30.

This type may be considered as more efficient and convenient, as the lips do not pass over the edge of the vessel but contact with the spout and flange 33, the perforations of the latter preventing particles contained in the liquid, which passes below the flange-- not over-from entering the mouth.

From the foregoing it will be seen that neat appearing and effective devices for the purposes set forth have been disclosed and that the same may be used to advantage in the display of advertisements and like matter upon their fiat surfaces, as indicated in I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. As a new article of manufacture, a lip guard comprising a blank folded to present an apron and bib element, said apron having one or more transverse slots and corresponding triangular points extending from szlritd bib element engageable in the mentioned s 1 s.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a lip guard comprising an apron element, a spout extension formed with said apron element said extension having a reentrantly turned edge, a bib element having a raised central portion, and a perforate flange formed with said bib element engaged in said; \turned edge.

In testimony name to this application;

THOMAS J. MOONEY.

whereof I have signed my 

